Towards a model and a framework to build web-based 3D collaborative virtual environments populated by interactive entities

In this paper a model an d a Java-based framework to aid the construction of 3D Web-browsing collaborative virtual environments (3D-CVE) populated by interactive entities are described. Our proposal emphasizes on the collaboration aspects among the entities that populate the virtual world and the services that they offer each other in order to carry out collaboration, rather than the modeling and aesthetical aspects of the worlds. We propose a model for the conceptualization of the virtual world under the concept of social groups, a graph-based high level notation to specify the interactions among the entities, and a Java based software framework that gives support to the model and the interaction graph in order to facilitate the implementation of the CVE. By means of a directed graph, the model describes interaction between the entities that populate the virtual world. The nodes and edges of the graph can be mapped to entities (classes and interfaces) of the proposed architecture, reducing the time and effort needed to develop this type of applications. The architecture allows for easy distribution management of processes between clients and a server, or otherwise its centralization within a central server. We describe the current implementation and an example application.